Daisy 880 vs Crosman 2100

[TooJung2Die]

Here's a quick comparison between the Daisy 880 and Crosman 2100. The opinions expressed are mine, worth the usual $0.02.

2100:
4lbs, 8oz. 38.5"
Plastic stock, metal receiver, metal pump arm.
Pumping effort increases and becomes significant.
Good heft. Feels like a small adult air rifle.
Pretty good trigger, modified. Lightened spring, reduced sear and polished surfaces.
Groups under 3/8" at 20 yards using RWS Super Dome.
Not pellet sensitive. Groups well using any pellet I've tried.

880:
3lbs, 5oz. 37.75"
Plastic stock, receiver, pump arm.
Very easy pumping and effort doesn't seem to get harder.
Very light weight. Feels toy-like.
Very hard, long trigger pull. Polished surfaces. Spring should not be modified.
Groups just under 1" at 20 yards using RWS Super Dome.
Pellet sensitive. Doesn't like CPHP at all.

The 2100 was made in 2004. I resealed it and put in a new barrel. I think I have an above average barrel. The only gun I have that is more accurate is my RWS 34. I like the way it holds. Good beginner's gun for kids and adults.

I bought the 880 new because so many people on GTA love them. I really wanted to like mine too. The mediocre accuracy and trigger prevent me from preferring it over the 2100. The weight and feel is not an issue. Easy to shoot offhand. Good beginner's gun for kids.

The barrels on both guns responded favorably to a recrown. Both guns have equally cheap quality scopes but they work fine if you're careful to keep exactly the same sight picture from shot to shot.

I've taken a few house sparrows with the 2100. I'm reluctant to try doing that with the 880 because of the accuracy.

Typical groups. 880 CPHP and RWS-SD, then 2100 CPHP and RWS-SD:

[nervoustrigger]

Nice writeup!  My experience with the 880 seems similar to yours.  I got my boy one last Sept for his 7th birthday as a starter rifle.  It grouped pretty poorly at first (2in at 25 yards) but I kept trying different pellets, figuring I just hadn't found its magic pellet.  Despite quite a bit of work to accurize it, getting good groups with it has been frustrating.  Managed to get the groups down to 1.0" - 1.25" at 25 yards with its favorite pellet.  It's also very picky like yours.

To me, the most useful thing about having it has been that it shot so poorly that I wasn't reticent to pull it apart to work on it, and it gave me the experience and confidence to take apart other guns to work on them.

I'm happy for those who've gotten an accurate one, it just wasn't my experience.  Many times I wished I had tried a Crosman 2100.  If my 6-year-old takes an interest, I think I'll try one.

[VAFarmer]

Did you chrony that 2100?

Interesting to see what its putting out...........and using chairgun........you can get pretty close to knowing what its output is at the range you are shooting.

If that little gem has 6-7 ftlbs left at 30 yds, and we can guess that it will probably do 1" at 30 yds..........you have a fine little hunter there.

I use Mac-1's secret sauce on ALL 4 of my pump guns....when properly lubed and not abused, that little 50 dollar gun will provide you a lifetime of shooting.

God bless,

Farmer

[lillysdad621]

make sure that you pack the space between the shroud and the actual barrel with electrical tape to give  it some stability. Mine went from ok to great groups after that. Also make sure that the felt is in good condition and is well moistened with airgun oil... makes a difference. I wish i had some groups at hand, but i am sure that mine can stack pellets (it likes wadcutters... hobbies, meisterkulgens and suprmags...) under a dime at 20 yards (using a scope also). my 766 is close but only does it at 7 pumps... at 10 the groups open up quickly. The 880 gets 10 pumps. But i only like shooting it at 8 pumps... makes the trigger easier.

[TooJung2Die]

make sure that you pack the space between the shroud and the actual barrel with electrical tape to give  it some stability. Mine went from ok to great groups after that. Also make sure that the felt is in good condition and is well moistened with airgun oil... makes a difference. I wish i had some groups at hand, but i am sure that mine can stack pellets (it likes wadcutters... hobbies, meisterkulgens and suprmags...) under a dime at 20 yards (using a scope also). my 766 is close but only does it at 7 pumps... at 10 the groups open up quickly. The 880 gets 10 pumps. But i only like shooting it at 8 pumps... makes the trigger easier.

Good advice. I did a bunch of free mods to the 2100. There don't seem to be many for the 880. I read with interest the writeup by nervoustrigger.  http://www.gatewaytoairguns.org/GTA/index.php?topic=45546

Instead of taping the 2100 barrel, I found some rubber grommets (5/16x1/4 I seem to remember) that snug fit the barrel and inside the barrel shroud. I glued four of these, evenly spaced, to the barrel. I tape shimmed the barrel at both ends. The barrel is really stable. It'll shoot under 1" at 20 yards with almost any pellet I've tried so far. Even Crosman Destroyers. Like yours, it really likes the good stuff like Super Domes. Those bulls I photographed are smaller than a dime and so are the SD groups.

I think I'll try your idea making a built-up tape barrel stabilizer for the 880. The barrel shroud is tapered so it will entail some trial and error to get the right fit. It won't hurt anything and it may do the trick.

[TooJung2Die]

Did you chrony that 2100?

God bless,

Farmer

I hope to get a Chrony for Christmas. I'm waiting because my family is tired of me buying everything I want. They never know what to get me because I've already bought it.